Today at the University of Pretoria (UP) the Student Representative Council (SRC) called a mass meeting to discuss fees for 2017. The meeting took place at 8:00 in the Student Centre (piazza). Thabo Shingange, SRC president, explained that “the SRC has not called this meeting to initiate a strike…it’s for students to engage robustly on the way forward in terms of fees.”
The meeting began with Shingange giving an outline of the meeting’s purpose. He said that the primary focus of the meeting was the current predicament with fees and other fee related matters. Other points of discussion were the upcoming SRC elections and the SRC’s rejection of the e-voting system. After which Shingange spoke about the possible fee increment for 2017 and the position students find themselves in. Shingange said that students find themselves in the same position as they did last year which is what led to the Fees Must Fall Movement.
Shingange went on to speak about the Commission into Higher Education and how the extension given to the commission raised the question of whether the moratorium on fee increments should also extended. He said that the SRC demands an extension of the moratorium “up until the enquiry has completed its work.” Shingange was also critical of the government as he mentioned “the failure of the state to define who is poor and who is rich, who must pay and who must not.” On the subject of no fee increment for 2017, Shingange suggested that historically disadvantaged universities be considered as the “Centre for Higher Education (CHE) released that by next year if the moratorium is maintained and with the current state of affairs about 19 universities will be insolvent.”
After Shingange spoke, the students were given the chance to voice their concerns on the possibility of a fee increment for 2017. One student said that there “should be a 0% fee increment until we hear what is the result from the inquiry.” While another student said that “the 0% fee increment in some cases is a bit unreasonable when we’re coming from a third world country…that is in deep financial circumstances.” During the discussion amongst the students, some expressed their frustrations with the government. One student said that “our anger must be directed towards the government of the ANC that is not willing to deliver free education for everyone.” Another student suggested that “if you want to strike, let us go to Blade Nzimande and….tell him to pronounce free education.”
